Italian pasta & bean soup

2 oz pancetta chopped (or 3 slices bacon cut small)

1 T EVOO

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 can diced tomatoes

4 c chicken broth

1 c water

3/4 c parmesan cheese

1 sprig fresh resemary

1 c ditalini (very small pasta... but alphabet pasta is fun too)

1 can canellini beans drained and rinsed.

1. Heat pancetta and oil in saucepan over med-high heat until browned, 5 mintues. Add onion and cook over medium heat until softened, 3 minutes. Stir in garlic for about 30 seconds then add tomatoes, broth, water, parmesan and rosemary and bring to a boil.

2. Add pasta and beans and cook until pasta is al dente. Discard rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with additional olive oil to serve.

IMPORTANT: Use fresh rosemary for the absolute best flavor. I'm a cheapskate and often sub dried herbs for fresh in recipes but it makes a huge difference in this one.

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

THE. BOMB. IN. WINTER.

3 c water

1 t salt

1 head cauliflower chopped into chunks

Boil water, add salt and cauliflower and cover, simmering until cauliflower can be poked through easily with a fork.

Melt 1 STICK BUTTER in a soup pot and sautee 4 BUNCHES SCALLIONS, SLICED THIN for about 7 minutes until softened. Add 3 T FLOUR and stir. Slowly incorporate 3 C MILK stirring constantly. Add 1/2 t PEPPER, 1/8 t HOT SAUCE or 1/4 t CHILLI POWDER and 2 T WORSTECHIRE SAUCE.

Drain cauliflower when done and add 3 C Chicken broth to the cauliflower pan. Pour the soup/cauliflower mixture into the soup pot with the milk mixture. Blend everything in a food processor or blender. Return to medium heat. Add 8 OZ CHEDDAR CHEESE SHREDDED and 3 T LEMON JUICE (add one at a time in case its too tangy for you.)

This is awesome on a cold day.

Corn Bread, Complements Lindsay (Jones) Ortega

1 can creamed corn

1 can regular corn

1 egg,

1 stick of butter

jiffy corn muffin mix - 1 box

1 cup sour cream.

Mix everything together and bake at 350.

Sometimes I cut back on the amount of sour cream and butter; it seams like so much. It always seems to turn out the same. I just cook it until it looks like a pot pie, usually around 30 minutes.

Introduced by Lindsay Ortega, Thanksgiving 2011; Tampa.

Phili Cream Cheese Mocha Cheesecake (Pie)

*This has been a Reynolds' Family Thanksgiving staple for years. Margarita gets credit for introducing it in 2008, approximately!

2-8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 squares (1 oz. each) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 tbsp. black coffee (that is, coffee that is made; the liquid form) :)
1 chocolate wafer crumb crust

1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until well blended; add eggs, and mix well.
2. Stir in the chocolate and coffee
3. Pour into crust; bake @ 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
4. Refrigerate 3 hours min. before eating.

*Original recipe suggests fruit as a topping, however Margarita's substitute of chocolate shavings works deliciously, as well!

Sweetheart Apples

4T butter

2 Large apples

2 t vanilla

3 slices bread

Sugar

Melt 3 T butter on medium heat in a large frying pan. Slice Apples thin, into about 16 slices per apple. Add apples to melted butter and fry 4 minutes on each side. When you are 4 minutes in and need to flip them, add the vanilla.

While they are frying, use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut little hearts out of the bread.

When the apples are done, take out with a slotted spatula, leavin the liquid in the pan. Add the last T of butter. Then kkeep the heat on and add the bread, frying until golden brown on each side. Take off and arrange hearts over the apples, dusting all with a little sugar.

These are addictive and these are fatty but since there are no bridesmaids dresses to fit into I figured I'd post:)

Chilli Stuff on Rice - Gram D's & Aunt Ann's

1 onion

1# ground beef

A little flour

Can Tomato soup

Chilli powder, salt & pepper.

Chop the onion fine and saute in a little oil. Add the beef and break up. Cook until it is browned. DO NOT DRAIN FAT.

Add a little flour and pour in the can of tomato soup. Turn to a low simmer. Add some chilli powder, salt and pepper. You don't want too hot but you do want the taste of chilli, trust me. Simmer for 45 minutes. You can leave uncovered but it does get too thick so I alternatebetween covering and not. You'll totally hate yourself for enjoying this caveman like dish.

Marya's Banana Blueberry Muffins

*This is perfect for when you have a banana or two that are about to go bad. Also, since I don't have frozen berries from the U.P., I've learned to have a bag of frozen berries from the store in my freezer for such occasions.

Yield = 6. *Attainable with one bad banana.

Mix together:
1 cup Flour
2 T. and 2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 egg whites (*If you don't have eggs in the house, use: 6 T. veg oil and 2 T. water for these.)
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Fold in 3/4 cup mashed banana (like I said, this is about 1 banana).

Finally, stir in:
1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup (approx.) shredded coconut.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 16 minutes. (Marya)

Chicken Stir Fry (Thai-tasting)

This is what I put in it; I'm sure any other combination of veggies/nuts will also taste good.

Stir Fry in vegetable oil:
thin/small sliced carrots
onion
handful of dry roasted peanuts
1-2 cups cooked/cubed chicken
1/2 clove garlic (just toss in at the end of these)

Mix together, and then pour over the above:
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used a bouillon cube)
2 T. Soy sauce
2 T. sugar
2 T. corn starch

Bring the contents to a boil, stirring, and then turn the mixture to low until served (white rice and lemon)! (Marya)

Maple Soy Salmon

Marinate 1# of Salmon in the following for at least 1/2 hour before baking.
Flip 1/2 way through:

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 T. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and bake for 20 minutes, or until the salmon flakes easily. Bake the salmon and all of the marinade juices.

*Delicious, and recommended with white rice and lemon! (Marya)